#urdak

AGDQ 2026 - Doom Eternal / Animal Crossing

Dark Ages gave us the cosmic realm inspired by Lovecraft stuff

In these works, Emerson Tung depicted Doom's "Heaven" as clean, bare, mechanized structures floating in a dark void on volcanic rock. There are some wisps of teal light floating around the black sky, but it's a very subtle contrast and could've even been interpreted as the Argent energy being funneled into this realm.

The stark contrasts and white, artificial lights illuminating these far too pristine and almost barren structures gives it all a very oppressive and exposed feeling. Even if you're wandering alone in these halls, it feels like you are being watched, judged, from every angle.

Coupled with the golden lightning, the black sky gives this impression of sitting in the middle of a thunderstorm, while the flat rock makes me think of the bottom of the ocean. For the latter, it also aligns perfectly with the maykr's squid-like features.

With the way everything has this clinical muscle and bone look to it, it very much feels like a different kind of hell. There's faces and skeletal imagery built into every wall—even the sparse trees are blood red and veiny. It's hauntingly beautiful and very, very wrong.

To me, much of this contrast was lost in the actual game simply due to a change in lighting and a mild overabundance of foliage...

Compared to the concept art, it ended up feeling too busy, too alive. There's far too much going on and the oppressive atmosphere is lost. Instead of feeling creeped out and exposed, it feels like a literal walk through a park, where barely anyone would even notice you if you passed them.